Learn the design skills they didn’t teach you in biz school.
(Quickly, because time is money.)
Hey Startup Founders,
does this sound familiar?
Why You Need This Guide:
You’re a startup founder or part of a small business that just doesn’t have the budget (yet) to hire a graphic designer, so you’ve been trying to DIY materials but things just look… amateur.
You want to be able to create your own marketing assets that will have an impact (and be proud to show them off).
Design fundamentals were never part of your background training or experience.
While you may have a good eye for design, you aren’t familiar with the tools or resources available to execute ideas.
Make it stand out.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
About Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Jessica Brightman, aka JB, a self-taught graphic and brand designer with a couple degrees and a nearly decade-long career in marketing before going out on my own.
I was born to be an entrepreneur, and I was born to be a designer. The first thing I ever created was a business called “Bella’s Cleaning Service” (at home my parents call me Bella, not Jessica or JB) when I was six or seven, and I created my own business cards with one of those old school printers that had holes in the sides of the paper. Why do chores for free when I could monetize my skills?
While working in marketing in higher education, I completed a master’s degree in strategic communications management and was then halfway through my MBA before I decided to drop out, quit my job, travel the world with a laptop, and become my own boss. I’ve never been so proud to be a dropout—best decision ever.
All of this to say: I understand the biz school / founder mindset. I know that time is money. I know the importance of strategy behind design. I know how to think differently and concisely. I also know that not every founder has the budget in the beginning to hire a graphic designer, so I’m here to teach you all you need to know to get your idea off the ground and look good doing so (all within your current budget).
During my time running Bright Thoughts Design, I’ve worked with startup founders across a variety of industries and stages. This is my chance to work with even more who might not have the funds yet to contract my design services. Instead, I’m offering you part of my brain to study on your own—which might be even cooler??
Ready? Let’s fucking go. Welcome to the DIY Design Guide.